The Trouble with the Guest List
by The Otherworlder
Summary: Normally you want your friends at your wedding, especially that special lifelong friend who is the very emblem of your soul. Unless that special friend happens to be a very large dragon. Yusei and Aki try very hard to keep their wedding dragon-free.
1. The Unwelcome Guest

Aki was resting in the sunlit glade.

The sky above her was sapphire blue, decorated with clouds puffy like the finest-spun cotton candy. Golden sunlight made leaves and grass sparkle like precious emerald. The small stream's bubbling tune was shot with silvery bird songs, as beautiful as music can be. Aye, it was so peaceful and relaxing here, almost perfect.

She had to say "almost" due to the enormous dragon beside her presently. The large, serpentine black head was inches away from her shoulder, and a pair of big golden eyes was staring at her intently. That bony face was wearing an expression usually termed "puppy dog eyes", if you can really apply that term to a giant lizard with wings.

"Please?" The Black Rose Dragon begged.

Aki decided to ignore him.

So half a minute later, the dragon said again, "Pretty please?" Still receiving no reaction, the dragon tried a third time another minute later, "Pretty please with Naturia Cherries on top?"

Aki sighed imperceptibly and slowly sat up. With all the bustle and chaos of the past few weeks, she really could use some peace and quiet, _without_ the Black Rose Dragon acting like a three-year-old. She brushed a kiss on Black Rose Dragon's head (because this works wonders whenever the dragon is about to be refused something), and said sweetly, "My heart, you know I love you. But the answer is still no; you can't attend my wedding."

"But why? Mistress, please! Otherwise it's just not fair!" And with that a whiny howl echoed like that of a wolf on a lonely night.

God, how can a _dragon_ complain so professionally? If the Black Rose Dragon's ultimate goal was to give her a lesson in dealing with unreasonable and obstinate children before her first child, then this over grown lizard was succeeding exceptionally well.

"Come on, Black Rose," Aki tried again to apply logic, "You know you wouldn't fit into most venues, and your tail is a major tripping hazard for other guests." The truth is, Black Rose Dragon's ten-feet long tail covered with thorns as thick as a small child's arm can hardly be called a _tripping_ hazard; it's more like a death trap! Why can't the stupid lizard realize that he doesn't go well with human gatherings that don't involve dueling?

Black Rose Dragon has always got a bit of a temper and attitude, enough to match even Jack's Red Demon Dragon, but he doesn't normally act like an uncontrollable three year old. The only childish demands he ever made were the right to curl up in Aki's large-enough bedroom, and the occasional kisses. These were reasonable enough, and readily accommodated, but attending a wedding for a full day? Out of the question.

The ridiculous demands started as soon as she and Yusei got engaged. That night she returned with a ring on her finger, a dreamy smile on her face, and a body so entirely filled with happiness that she had no strength left to do anything. She hit her bed, dreamy smile still intact, and ready to sleep, when suddenly.

"Mistress, if you don't mind me saying, you are so deliriously happy that you look stupid."

The dragon's voice shocked Aki out of her joy-induced stupor, and she gave a little squeal before laughing and patting the dragon's neck. She said with the brightest smile, "You are right, I am deliriously happy. Yusei asked me to marry him; we are engaged!"

Black Rose Dragon blinked once, before asking, "So when is the wedding?"

"Eh?" It's now Aki's turn to blink. She thought for a minute, and answered, "We haven't discussed it yet. But both of us are busy with our works lately, and we don't get vacations until summer. So I guess it will have to be in summer."

"Summer is good," Black Rose Dragon nodded, seemingly satisfied, and said, "Of course, I will be there as your guardian? How do you humans put it, walk you down the aisle, right?"

Aki yawned, feeling rather tired, and replied without thinking, "Whatever you want, Black Rose…" But just then what her dragon said finally sank in and she bolted right up. "What? No, don't even think about it! My own _father_ will walk me down the aisle! He is my father!"

Black Rose Dragon blinked at her, and then the pointy teeth seemed to form what could be called a petulant pout. "Fine," the dragon said, "So how about I walk as your bridesmaid?"

"You told me specifically you are male! Oh but that's not even the point!" Aki shook her head vigorously, trying to clear her sleep and happiness befuddled brain a little. She took a deep breath to calm herself, before saying evenly, "My heart, as much as I love you, you can't possibly attend my wedding. You are a dragon the size of a large room! That is going to be problematic no matter what."

Black Rose Dragon swished his enormous thorny tail with unhappiness, despite explicit warning from Aki not to do that in her room. It was then Aki knew she had a long, drawn out battle before her. And indeed, some five months later, only three weeks before the wedding, she was still fighting this battle with Black Rose Dragon.

"Mistress, mistress, mistress," Back to the present, Black Rose Dragon whined again, swishing his thorny tail a bit too close for Aki's taste.

"The wedding and reception we planned, there really is no room for you, Black Rose," Aki said, "If you are there, it will only create difficulties for me, for Yusei, for everyone. It's our wedding, I have to consider Yusei's feelings too, of course."

Black Rose Dragon stared at her for a few moments, before turning his bony face into what felt like a scoffing expression. "So it's about Fudo Yusei. He doesn't want me there?"

"It's not Yusei or I don't want you there, only that it's impractical; no, rather, it's impossible. Like I said, Black Rose, you don't fit into most places well. And a wedding is full of people who may be afraid if you were there. We made most arrangements already, and out of respect for Yusei, I wouldn't want to change anything just because you want to be there."

Aki was surprised by her own patience, and was almost feeling confident about her potential as wife and mother. Only Black Rose didn't seem to hear her. The large, bony dragon head whipped up into the sky, enormous red-black wings unfolding. "I will talk to Fudo Yusei myself," the dragon roared non-too-friendly, "I will talk some sense into him!"

At this Aki could only breathe a suffering sigh.


	2. The Thing about Shrink Is

What Aki didn't know, is that Fudo Yusei is fighting the same hopeless battle, against another large, bony dragon. The said dragon is looking a little pathetic presently, and pulling that puppy dog eye expression remarkably well for a reptilian face that technically can't even produce facial expressions.

"Stardust," Yusei sighed again. It was probably a good thing that he has a famous poker face, so he could still manage to look calm at this point despite his exasperation.

"Master Yusei, this is going to be a most important day for you, and I really want to be there for you!" Stardust lowered her head a bit more yet, so her large and watery blue eyes were mere inches away from Yusei's face, "I promise to be good, house-trained and well-behaved. I will not make any loud noise; I will not frighten any guest; I will not move unnecessarily and break anything…"

Yusei cut her off here. "Stardust, that's not the point! The point is…"He paused a second, and thought for a moment, before saying with another sigh, "I have gone over the point too many times. How about this: since Aki is doing most of the wedding planning, why don't you go ask her whether you can fit into the ceremony and reception venue? How is that?"

"I can do that? Oh thank you, Master Yusei, I will do that!" Stardust threw her head into the air in sheer joy, wings spreading wide. She probably didn't notice just how frightening a sight she was.

Stardust has always been a sensible, clever dragon. She tried her best to understand and accommodate what humans find attractive or frightening in order to be accepted by more people, in more situations. Sure, in a dueling arena every audience member loves her, but she always wanted to be able to accompany her Master Yusei to other human things as well—especially a very important human thing known as the Wedding. And right now, in order to do that, she needs to convince her Mistress-to-be, Izayoi Aki.

Well, that shouldn't be too hard; there is a standard set of things that human females find irresistible: miniature, fluff, pink, and maybe bells.

So it was on a beautiful Friday morning, Aki walked into her office and found a large and ridiculously pink gift box sitting on her desk. She couldn't not help but blink twice. Gifts from Yusei aren't normally packed in a box, and would never be packed in that ridiculous colour. While she was staring bemusedly, she saw the box rattle and move just a little. She started, and then hurried over to open the gift box: if there was some animal inside the box, she didn't want the poor thing to be shut up for too long.

When the lid came off, a pair of intensely blue eyes stared up at her. Inside the gift box was a miniature Stardust Dragon. The creature was less than eight inches tall, wide silvery wings folded demurely behind the back. A red ribbon wrapped around the little dragon's neck, folding into a complex bow, with a silver bell hanging off the end, and the dragon was holding a single red rose in her claws.

Aki stared for a long time, then: "Stardust? Is that really you?"

"Yes it's me, Miss Aki."

Okay, that's Stardust Dragon alright, even if she was reduced from her normal size to an eight-inch miniature. Aki took a deep breath and exclaimed, "How can Yusei make you do something like this? No wait, Yusei would never! He loves you too much. Whose idea is this?" Seeing Stardust Dragon's eyes becoming wide with worry, Aki hastily added, "Not that I don't like this gesture. Oh Stardust, I didn't know you could be this cute!" she laughed a little, and continued, "That red ribbon and silver bell go well with your colouring. But Stardust, you are a dragon; I don't want to see you saddled with 'cute' tasks like a lovebird."

"But Miss Aki likes this look?" Stardust Dragon extended her claws to give Aki the rose and asked hopefully, "May I attend your wedding if I look like this? This wouldn't frighten other guests, right? May I come?"

"Eh?" Aki stood still for a long time, and then she laughed again, this time with a little puff of a sigh. "Oh Stardust! I guess Yusei was having the same problem as I in the past few months then. Stardust, before we get to the wedding attendance part, tell me first, how _did _you manage to turn into this size?"

Stardust Dragon's blue eyes glittered with the light of a smile. She exclaimed proudly, "I used the Shrink spell card!"

Aki looked thoroughly impressed. "Indeed?" She said, "That is very clever of you, Stardust!"

"So can I come?"

Aki looked thoughtful, and after a long moment of pondering, she said with a smile, "Stardust, I guess it's really important for you to be there with your master on an important day, and I think it would mean a lot for Yusei too. You know what, if you can attend the wedding in your current form, then sure, I think you would be a welcome addition."

Stardust Dragon spread her wings and roared with sheer joy. Aki could not help but wince, for even if Stardust was only eight inches tall right now, she was still _loud_. Mini Stardust Dragon flapped into the air and landed on Aki's shoulder, head leaning close as if to give her a kiss on her cheek. Except Stardust Dragon still had that spike-like bone jutting from her head (which, in Aki's mind, made Stardust resemble a pterosaur, just a little), so an attempted kiss was just awkward and somewhat painful on Aki's part.

During that awkward moment Aki noticed something, and asked bemusedly, "Stardust, are you glowing? No, the light is on and off; you are… blinking? What is going on?"

"Oh," The little dragon pondered for a second, and said, "I think maybe Shrink is wearing off."

"What? Stardust, this office is small, and filled with _expensive_ equipment!"

Even as Aki exclaimed the last word, she scooped up mini-Stardust in her arm, pushed open the window, and promptly threw her out. It was an eleventh story window, but oh well. Only a few seconds after Stardust went tumbling out of the window, _ka-boom_! In a flash of blinding white light, a full sized dragon was circling between skyscrapers.

And it wasn't much longer after when Aki was also in the air, riding on the back of Blue Rose Dragon and screaming beside Stardust's head, "You silly girl! You didn't even think about how long the spell would last before settling down in my office?"

At this Stardust could only cower. After a few moments, she asked timidly, "So does that mean I can't come, Miss Aki?"

Aki face-palmed.


	3. Fairy Godmother

**AN: Just replying to a reviewer's question why Stardust is female. XD **

**Well, it's simple, I need that small bit of "umph" and chemistry between **_**her**_** and Yusei. The same reason that Black Rose is male. Think about Seto Kaiba and his Blue Eyes White Dragon, lol. Of course I won't push their relationship into Set/Kisara level; it's still perfectly pure camaraderie and friendship, and Yusei's love of his life is Aki, but still, it's just cuter this way. Ancient Fairy is proven to be female (by voice) so I won't mess with that, which is okay because Ruka also has Regulus. And Red Dragon Archfiend. Okay I can in no good conscious make Archfiend female, **_**no**_**, he and Jack both just scream testosterone.**

It might be difficult to imagine, but Fudo Yusei, ridiculously skilled motorcycle rider, King of Turbo Duels, and wonder-mechanic, actually really enjoys hiking. Sure, it was something he picked up from Aki, but he really grew to love the activity. Feeling the wind in your hair (not really, more like helmet) while speeding down a smooth black-top highway is nice, but you can't smell the flowers and appreciate the bird songs on a motorcycle. Thus, weather permitting, Yusei always walked to and from work.

His walk took him through a large, beautiful park, filled with lush wild flowers and teeming wildlife that included everything from blackbirds to weasels. Still, a city park's fauna should _not_ include a dragon, like the one standing in front of his path right now. Black Rose Dragon's wings spread out wide like an impenetrable wall, the black, serpentine neck curve low, and a pair of sinister golden eyes stared at him, too close for comfort. Yusei sighed inside.

"Fudo Yusei," Black Rose Dragon said menacingly, "We need to settle a few things."

"What did I do to make you unhappy, Black Rose?"

"There is one thing I want to make absolutely clear to you," Black Rose Dragon said, "Fudo Yusei, you might be marrying my mistress, you might be the love of her life. Still, you have only known her for a few years; I and all of those in her deck, we have been with her since she was a wee little girl, only this big." Black Rose Dragon actually held up his claws and gestured, showing how small Aki had been when first they met.

Yusei tried to picture a little girl version of Aki, with shoulder length pink hair and large golden cat eyes, and a small smile surfaced on his lips before he realized it. He tried to insert the enormous Black Rose Dragon into the mental picture, and had to shake his head a little. That image seemed sorely in need of a St. George the dragon slayer.

"If you try to take her away from us, you will have me to answer for!" Black Rose thumped his tail on the ground for emphasis.

Yusei blinked a few times, before sighing, out loud this time. "Of course I would not try to take her away from you! What put such an idea in your head? Black Rose, you are her heart, her soul mate…" When he said those words, Yusei could not help but stop and frown. Well, that sounded just a little prickly in his ears. Black Rose Dragon may be a giant lizard, but he was still a thinking, talking, and loving _male_. Yusei was actually a little miffed at himself for calling another _male_ Aki's soul mate, just a little.

He coughed once, and tried again, saying, "You are a part of her heart and soul…" Damn, that was still off. He pondered for a few more moments, and finally saying, "You are such an important friend for her, Black Rose. I love her too much to take you away from her. Just like I know that she would not begrudge Stardust's place in my life either."

"Alright, so you realize how important I am to Mistress Aki," Black Rose Dragon said, serpentine head leaning closer still. Geez, that dragon sounded _smug_ as he continued, "So why can't I be at the wedding? Let me come to the wedding; she would want that."

"Nice try Black Rose, but I am not falling for that," Yusei said, "Aki is doing most of the wedding planning, and she picked the ceremony and reception venues. If we could have you there, Aki would have invited you long ago. I trust you already asked her? If she said no, then that is that."

"Fudo Yusei!" A threatening dragon roar, then that thorny tail curled closer to Yusei, as if to hit him.

But Yusei was unfazed. "Even when Aki was at her worst, you did not manage to intimidate me, dragon."

"Indeed?" Black Rose Dragon's head was hovering right above Yusei's, mouth open wide to make a show of those pointy teeth. "I know Stardust is not here today. So what else have you got in your deck that can protect you from me?"

"Black Rose, I am going to be late for work," Yusei said.

"If you insist on refusing me, you have much more to worry about than being late for work!"

"Black Rose, I warned you," A growingly more impatient Yusei was about to call out his Junk Destroyer (who can give Black Rose a good run for his money in terms of destroying things), when an authoritative female voice sounded from behind trees.

"Now children, behave!"

And with that, a couple emerged. The lady who spoke was exceedingly tall, perhaps just shy of six feet, with flowing silvery green hair that reminded one of leaves under the moonlight. She wore a simple summer dress of blue and gold, but somehow still managed to look like a fairy queen despite the unassuming dress. Standing beside her was a man of indeterminate age, with long golden hair and golden eyes, dressed in blue shirt and jeans.

Yusei blinked slowly. He was pretty sure he had never seen those people before, and was now utterly lost why the woman would reprimand him as if she had known him all her life. Black Rose Dragon seemed less confused, but just as surprised.

"Fairy…Ancient Fairy Dragon, is that you?" He spluttered.

"Yes, it is me, you unruly child."

"Hey, watch it!" Black Rose Dragon roared again, "You are not a single day older than me!"

"Then you should learn to act your age. You are supposed to be the guardian and protector of the young ones, not the obstinate creature giving them a headache over unreasonable demands!"

At this point Yusei finally woke up. He stared at the woman incredulously. "You are Ancient Fairy Dragon?"

"That's right Yusei, 100% Ancient Fairy Dragon, guaranteed!" Rua's energetic voice rang out as the twins emerged from the behind trees also. Beside him, Ruka laughed and said, "And the other one is my faithful prince Regulus. Don't they look great, Yusei? Like King and Queen of the fairy realm, just as they should."

"Like Galadriel and Celeborn*, right out of the movie," Yusei replied in all seriousness, though there was a detectable little smile on his face.

"Galadriel and Celeborn? Nah, the hair colour is wrong," Rua, the typical nerd who is into all sort of fantasies, objected, "Ancient Fairy's hair colour doesn't fit into Middle-earth at all, and Regulus would have to be…oh I know, Finrod Felagund**!"

"Rua!" His sister nudged him, "Don't compare them to tragic heroes, it's bad luck!"

Regulus the lion-turned-man faced Ruka and said in the most earnest and love-filled voice, "Nay, do not object, Ruka; it is only a story. And the comparison is apt enough. For you I am willing to do everything Finrod Felagund did for Beren, and a thousand times more. I will always protect you."

Ruka knew it was a giant lion from a fairytale-like spirit world speaking to her, but being on the receiving end of such intensely adoring look, she could not help but blush. And here Rua jumped between the lion-man and his sister. "Hey!" He barked at Regulus, "Don't make those eyes at my sister, you overgrown cat! And it's my job to protect her!"

Yusei was struggling between the urge to laugh and the urge to knock some sense into them all. Good thing he had that perfect poker face. He only said, "Guys, I am _really_ going to be late for work. Can we settle this quickly?"

"Go on to work, young Fudo," Ancient Fairy Dragon said, "We are only here to see Black Rose and give him some advice."

"Which is?" Even Yusei was curious about this.

Ancient Fairy Dragon's perfect red lips slowly curled into a mischievous smile, one that seemed at odds with her majestic beauty. She said slowly, "Oh, only that if you want to go to a ball, you should go to the fairy godmother."

*** Galadriel and Celeborn are, of course, from Lord of the Rings. They are husband and wife, co-rulers of Lothlorien. Galadriel is, in a lot of ways, the archetypal warrior queen/fairy queen, depending on what stage and what story she features in, lol. And, Celeborn has silver hair, and Galadriel has golden hair shot with silver.**

****This is from Silmarillion. He is an elf-king who died saving Beren, his mortal friend. Oh yeah, and he is a blond, **


	4. Prince Charming and Princess Bride

**AN: a reviewer asked why Ancient Fairy Dragon and Regulus are human. I explained here, sort of. Lol, it's a fairytale sort of idea, so suspension of belief is required!**

* * *

><p>Perhaps there is no better way to start your weekend with a bang than arriving home to find a devilishly good looking stranger standing on your doorsteps. This was why Aki was standing in front of her own townhouse and staring like a little girl.<p>

The man standing in front of her was nothing short of stately, standing a whole head and some taller than her, with toned muscles that could not be hidden by his baggy T-shirt and sweatpants. His skin was dusky, suggesting Middle-eastern descent, but his hair was a shocking rose colour, much like her own, and his cat-like eyes were shinning gold. That well-sculpted face was the textbook definition of golden ratio, made even more alluring by a slightly childish and mischievous expression. Aki was stunned into silence. She wasn't normally so affected by a handsome face; even Yusei's, which is as gorgeous as a handsome face can be, did not stun her at their first meeting (maybe she was too distracted by an arm glowing with the Red Dragon's sign then). But she had to admit, this rose-haired man pushed the boundaries of good looks quite a bit and she was stunned.

The stranger's grin widened seeing her expression, and as if by magic, he produced a bunch of crimson roses from behind his back. "For you, the keeper of my heart and soul," The stranger husked, pushing the roses closer and his entire body following, as if wanting to lean it and steal a kiss.

Aki instantly narrowed her eyes and took a step back. She was too often the victim of unwanted male attention, despite her steady boyfriend (now fiancé), and she had no patience for this kind of audacity, even from such a handsome man.

"Watch it, boy," She said coldly, "Now take your roses to your girlfriend, and kindly remove yourself from my front steps."

The stranger blinked those golden cat eyes at her, and then pouted. "Aw, Mistress, you are no fun at all!" He said, that chiseled face instantly churning out a puppy-dog eye expression. God forbid that kind of expression of a full-grown man's face!

Aki stared again. That sounded like... Really? Can it be?

"Yes, it is me, your faithful servant Black Rose," The rose-haired man laughed.

Aki continued staring at him wide-eyed, before asking with ample incredulity, "But how? How did you turn into... this?"

"Well, this is the doing of Ancient Fairy Dragon," replied Black Rose, "Apparently she is as her name says-quite friendly with the fairy folk. Centuries ago she got this spell from the Fairy Queen Titania that can help us take human form. So, here I am."

Aki laughed and said, "That is unbelievable, Black Rose! And to be honest, I did not imagine you would look like this."

Black Rose Dragon pushed the flowers into her hand, and leaned close once more. "So can I get a kiss now, Mistress?"

Even knowing that was her Black Rose Dragon, Aki's first reaction was still to smack the roses into his face. Somehow this demand just sounded strange and different now than Black Rose was a gorgeous heart-breaker rather than a giant lizard with rose petal wings. She took a slow breath, and said with a smile, "No, Black Rose; maybe after you change back to your normal form."

Black Rose Dragon pouted, before brightening up and asking hopefully, "But can I go to your wedding then? Looking like this? Yes, right, Mistress?"

Aki eyed him skeptically, suddenly reminded of Stardust's Shrink spell wearing off while inside her office. She asked, "How long does this fairy spell last?"

"Ancient Fairy said as long as we want."

"Really?"

"Really!"

Aki's eyes softened, and her serious expression finally gave way to a warm smile. It would be nice, she thought, to have her oldest and most faithful friend at her wedding. After all, Black Rose had been there since she was a tiny little creature, sticking with her through thick and thin, and stubbornly held on to her even when she was drowning in her own dark and piteous thoughts.

"Oh, Black Rose!"

She could not stop the tenderness welling up inside, and forgot all about her earlier reservation. She tossed aside the flowers and hugged Black Rose with all her might. "Of course you can attend my wedding," She said softly beside his ear, "I do want you there, truly. Black Rose, you mean so much to me, you know that!"

When they finally pulled apart, Aki laughed and said, "Now there is just one last thing to do for you to be at my wedding."

"Which is?" Black Rose looked slightly nervous.

"Buying the proper clothes, of course; you can't possibly attend a wedding in t-shirt and sweatpants. By the way," Aki eyed Black Rose's baggy, crumpled, ill-fitting outfit with puzzlement and distaste alike, "Just where did you get these ridiculous clothes?"

"These are Rua's," Black Rose answered, "They are either gym clothes or pajamas, depending on the boy's mood."

"No kidding."

It is often said that great minds think alike, so no one should be surprised that on this particular Friday afternoon, Yusei also decided to take someone shopping. Yusei didn't normally mind shopping with women; he was a patient soul, and also had had enough practice accompanying Aki or Ruka, even Carly on a couple occasions. But this time he was getting very uncomfortable very fast.

It really boiled down to a simple fact, Yusei decided gloomily, the woman hanging on his arms was simply way too striking.

They stepped into yet another formal wear store, and the shop lady hastily walked up to them with all the smiles in the world and some. "This young lady is looking for some formal wear? May I ask for what occasion?"

"It's the wedding…"

"My my, congratulations!" The shop lady dove right into the wrong conclusion (and she certainly wasn't the first one), and didn't even give them a chance to rebut, "Why, aren't you a lucky young man, to secure yourself such a beautiful lady! And I think I have just the right dress for you. It's from Paris, latest designer piece, my dear, has this exquisite beadwork. It's got a little more colours than the traditional pure white, cream and light blue and such, though it will fit you, since you are so pale…"

"She is not the bride," Yusei finally managed to slide the line in. Seeing the shop lady was still trying to go on, he added in a louder voice, "She is my sister."

The shop lady looked back and forth between them, eyeing Yusei's jet black hair with golden highlights and the woman's pure-as-snow white hair. She looked extremely skeptical, but wisely moved on to introduce an evening dress.

By the time they finished the excursion, going home with multiple bags stuffed with fancy goods on their arms, it was already past dinner time and Yusei was feeling strangely exhausted. Thus the sight of Crow inside his living room, sipping hot chocolate while leafing through the final version of his wedding reception menu, that was absolutely unwelcoming.

"Hey Yusei, where have you been? I meant to ask you about details for the wedding, you know…" Crow suddenly cut off his own sentence. He finally noticed Yusei's companion, and was now inevitably staring with saucer eyes, mouth hanging agape.

Standing beside Yusei and holding multiple shopping bags was a beautiful woman Crow had never seen before. She was a little taller than Yusei, pale like the new moon, with long, flowing hair so white it shone like the finest silver. Her sapphire blue eyes can literally make people drown. Crow stared for a long time, before asking, "Er, can I tell Aki, and should I be concerned?"

Yusei sighed audibly. "Crow, meet Stardust Dragon," He said, "Stardust, you know Crow, of course."

"What?" Crow exclaimed.

"Don't ask me, go ask Ruka and Ancient Fairy Dragon."

Crow kept staring, before finally breaking into a wolfish grin, "Alright, I can't wait to meet Black-winged Dragon in person!"


	5. No, We Can't Have Matching Outfit!

"Tsk, this is no good," The old seamstress clacked her tongue, giving Aki a stern look while tugging the dress with extra vehemence, "Miss Izayoi, you lost weight; I will have to re-cinch the waist and bust now. I never quite understand it with you young girls. You already have a great figure; there is certainly no need to starve yourself!"

"I don't starve myself, Frau Maria," Aki said defensively, "And I wasn't trying to lose weight." She felt slightly guilty when she said this, because it was bending the truth a little. Of course she wanted to look her best at her wedding, so she did cut back on ice cream and pastries, from occasionally to never. But more likely than not, it's her chaotic schedule which contained so little spare time for eating that really did her in.

A rose-coloured head poked out from behind a row of clothes and said, "I am sure she didn't _try_, Frau Maria, it's just lately she could never find the time to sit down and finish a meal. If it weren't for me forcing her to eat whenever I can, you would see even less of Izayoi Aki!" And that would be Black Rose Dragon in his handsome human form. He tagged along with Aki to her wedding dress fitting so he could find some appropriate tuxedo at the old seamstress's shop.

Frau Maria nodded with satisfaction and said while sticking pins into Aki's dress, "I know you are a good boy. You take good care of her, won't you? Make sure she eats regularly and sleeps enough, make sure she stays very healthy! Otherwise she will have so much trouble when it comes time for that first child."

Black Rose Dragon grinned cheekily and said, "Thank you for your excellent advice, Frau Maria, I will do that. Speaking of children, I can't tell you how much I look forward to playing with them!"

Aki glared at her dragon. God, that overgrown lizard is shameless! And Black Rose can keep dreaming about playing with her children, but it certainly won't happen anytime soon. She would never introduce her children to the family dragon until they are at least school age. Doesn't Black Rose understand that he is the stuff nightmares are made of? So while Frau was busy studying the folds and the hem of her dress, she leaned over slightly and hissed at Black Rose Dragon, "Will you just stick to what you came for and save the cheeky comments?"

"Right, mistress," Black Rose in human form grinned at her, and then rose-coloured head retreated once more behind racks of clothing.

The peace and quiet hardly lasted, not with Black Rose around. Only minutes later, Aki heard a triumphant: "Ah, found something great!" Then she heard hurried steps and then fabric rustling—it sounded like Black Rose was scurrying into the changing stall and was trying something on.

A few moments later Black Rose emerged from behind the changing stall curtain with a wicked smile on his face. He was wearing a set of pure white tuxedo suit, with a creamy yellow vest and a silk tie of the same colour, looking nothing short of splendid, like the sun in its zenith. The lapel and cuff of his jacket were decorated with roses embroidered in silver thread, florid yet subtle, making him appear elegant and polished despite his often childish expressions. Aki narrowed her eyes a little. Black Rose so dressed up to the nines was blinding, and running a serious risk of upstaging her groom. She was still pondering how best to pursue her dragon to go for something less glamorous, when Black Rose Dragon said to her proudly, "Look, this matches the design on your wedding dress! Isn't it wonderful?"

Aki scrutinized Black Rose Dragon's suit a bit more, then looked down at her own dress. Indeed, the rose embroidery on that white tuxedo was the same as the beaded pattern on her bodice. At this she blanched. But Frau Maria looked extremely satisfied; she said with an approving nod, "You have a good eye. I have been leaving that matching suit out just for Miss Aki, hoping she would notice and choose it for her man. But Miss Aki is not very observant. Good thing you came along today, my boy."

Black Rose Dragon's grinned and replied sweetly, "Indeed, and Frau Maria, you do have great taste. I really love this! Though it does need some more fitting, you see..."

"Oh no you _don't_!" Aki snarled at her dragon, "We are _not_ wearing matching clothes on my wedding day, you boneheaded lizard! Cross me again and you will have something to regret, Black Rose."

Black Rose Dragon actually _cowered_. He took a step back and said with a placating smile, "Alright, alright! I will change this minute, and I promise to find something more appropriate!"

"Good," Aki said with a cold glare.

Even as Black Rose Dragon beat a hasty retreat back to the changing stall, he dearly wanted to whistle. By the Red Dragon, Izayoi Aki in all her fury was an awesome and frightening creature; even yards upon yards of puffy lace and tulle could not make her seem soft and meek!

Some minutes later Black Rose emerged again, this time in a sleek black suit with white vest and a gold pin-stripe tie—a get up that made him just as blindingly glamorous as the last. Aki looked at him critically for a few moments, before letting loose a small sigh. "Black Rose," She said, "How about you tone it down a little? This is a big occasion, but you clearly are _not_ the man of the hour."

Black Rose Dragon retorted with a frown, "Oh come on, mistress! Would Yusei really be so petty as to resent me for looking good at his wedding? I thought him a bigger man than that."

But Aki was having none of that. "Oh, Yusei is a bigger man than that, no doubt," She said in a dangerously calm voice, "But I am not. I am as petty as a woman can be, and I would absolutely resent you for outshining my husband-to-be at my wedding!"

"Aww," Black Rose Dragon mumbled, "Alright, mistress dear, heard you loud and clear. What would you like me to wear?"

Seeing that Frau Maria was at her desk doing something rather than bending over her dress, Aki strode over to the hangers and shuffled through a row of suits. She took a good minute before pulling out one. "This," She said, tossing another suit towards her dragon, "Skip the vest, and go with a white shirt, plus a nice tie."

Black Rose Dragon eyed the suit, lips pulling into a pout and face incredibly sour. Oh, it wasn't an _ugly _suit per se. After all, Frau Maria was a famous seamstress and it was generally safe to say there were no ugly clothes at her shop. This grey two-piece was made from supple wool, single-breasted, with a simple but elegant British cut; it had a very refined look, but it was also serious and somber, much too business-like. Anyone wearing that suit would not stand out in the crowd.

"Really?" Black Rose Dragon asked.

"Really," Aki replied firmly.

Black Rose Dragon said sulkily, "Mistress, just saying, don't you think this suit matches Yuse's personality much better?"

Aki glared at him, not saying a word but at the same time making her command very clear. Black Rose Dragon sighed, hung his head like a puppy, and slinked off to the changing stall. Why, for a moment, Aki thought she could see the thorny tail swishing behind the big boy.

Serve you right, she thought with a smile, and returned to admire her own wedding dress.


	6. Midnight Ride

**AN: Last chapter! Thus ends a fluffy but utterly pointless tale. However, I have filled my need and desire for some good faithshipping sweetness; now that I got this out of my system, I can move on with more ridiculous card game based fantasy story now. Hope you enjoyed this!**

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><p>Yusei and Aki's wedding was a very glittery event. They both wanted a simple thing with only family and close friends, but a wedding is, after all, a wedding—once the hall is decked with rings of roses and lilies, and the long tables crowded with fine china and punch bowls, and the bride's dress swirling up a cloud of starlight as she danced across the floor, it is rather hard for the event to not be glittery.<p>

The presence of a few blindingly gorgeous guests probably helped, too.

As Aki finally found the chance to sit down after yet another dance with one of Yusei's friends (clearly one thing Yusei does not lack in life is friends), one of the said gorgeous guests made his way to Aki noiselessly. "More punch, my mistress?" The redhead said, touching the cool glass to Aki's cheek.

"Black Rose!" Aki started, but took the punch nonetheless. It probably wasn't the best of ideas—how many glasses of punch did she have tonight? But she was also thirsty. She took a large gulp, before asking, "Black Rose, what time is it?"

"Still party time," Black Rose replied promptly, flashing a mischievous (and totally irresistible) grin at her,

"Come, mistress, drink your punch and dance another round with me."

Aki hesitated, "But it is late…"

"Mistress! It's not like your carriage turns to pumpkin and your wedding dress to rags at midnight! Aw come now, I need another dance."

Aki could not help but laugh, and sticking out a long finger and poking that shameless handsome face.

"Black Rose, you are such a child sometimes; I am getting free parenting lessons aren't I?" She said, "Still, I should check on Yusei; I haven't talked to him since the first dance…"

"Oh he is fine; look."

Indeed, Yusei was sitting in a corner with Crow and Jack, buried deep in insider conversation. _That's what you get for not having the time to throw a bachelor's party_, Aki thought amusedly, _look at that,_ _a last minute men's talk at the wedding reception. _

Black-winged dragon (in her human form, of course) was sitting beside Crow, wearing a serious expression and listening intently like a good student, though it was plain she had trouble keeping up with the men's conversation. Then again, she had trouble keeping up with Crow's talks most of the time anyway; she was just too quiet for a noisy rascal like Crow. Now that she was wearing the appearance of a raven-haired, grey-eyed beauty with a marble white face, she seemed especially out of place beside Crow. Red Dragon Archfiend was just a few steps away, standing tall and towering above even Jack, as if he was guarding the group. The only dragon missing would be Stardust; that poor girl, she could barely get a break from all the invitations to dance!

Aki smiled again. They were all hers, her friends and companions, who have wrestled her from hell and gave her a life again. And what a life it is! She was so incredibly happy she could literally feel her heart melting away. She drank her punch and put the glass aside, leaping to her feet and taking Black Rose Dragon's hands. "Come, let's dance, Black Rose."

A few minutes into their swirling, Yusei waltzed up. He tapped Black Rose lightly on the shoulder and said, "Let's switch partners, shall we?"

He gave Black Rose a small smile, who scowled back most indignantly. But Yusei ignored Black Rose Dragon's pout, only skilfully manoeuvred away with his bride in his arms, leaving Black Rose and Stardust together in the centre stage. Aki giggled and pecked his cheek, saying, "Thank you! As much as I adore Black Rose, I am glad you are here."

Yusei raised an eyebrow, just a little, saying a hint of amusement, "You don't normally laugh like this, Aki. Just how much did you have to drink tonight?"

Aki blushed, and couldn't think of a smart comeback to save her life. Yusei always had that effect on her, rendering her speechless without even meaning to. So she decided to keep her peace, only nestled closer to Yusei. Yusei tightened his arms around her, just a little, and led her around the dance floor. A moment of silence later, he whispered, "Since you seem to be in a good mood, I hope you will forgive me for not watching the time."

Aki blinked. It took her a moment to realize what Yusei was referring to, and then she groaned. "We missed our cab didn't we? So what time is it?"

"Twenty past midnight. I think the cab driver must have gone home more than an hour ago."

"That means our plane takes off in fifty five minutes, and there is no way we can make it on time to the airport, not even if we can fly."

Yusei paused for a moment, before lowering his head apologetically, "I am afraid so. I am sorry; I should have watched out for the time. We can always call and arrange another flight, though given how busy it is, we would probably have to wait until the day after tomorrow at the earliest."

"Ah well, we as well just get back to work. If you stay, the city wouldn't have to hold its breath while the hero is away," Aki teased.

"Truly? Get back to work?" Yusei seemed surprised and bemused, "You were saying how much you look forward to our honeymoon and travelling abroad. Or do you not like the idea of Hawaii anymore? We can always choose another place…"

Aki laughed again. "You _can_ be easy to tease sometime, Yusei! It doesn't matter at all; I will be happy as long as I have you with me, and it will be honeymoon no matter where we are."

"Pish-posh, I want to go to Hawaii!"

Oh yeah, that would be Black Rose Dragon, acting like the eight-year old that he embodies so well. Aki closed her eyes momentarily, feeling a small strand of exasperation stealing into her happiness. "Even if you missed the plane, I can fly you there, mistress!" Black Rose continued with too much eagerness, "In fact, I can fly you anywhere you want!"

Aki blinked again. Flying? On a dragon? At midnight, across an ocean to Hawaii?

"You are crazy, Black Rose," She said flatly.

"Come now, it's totally not crazy," Black Rose argued, "You know I can take you anywhere, safely!"

Aki was about to give him a good scolding, when Yusei cut in unexpectedly with a small smile, "Actually, why not, Aki?"

"Eh?"

"It will be good fun, and most definitely better than going back to work tomorrow." Yusei said, blue eyes earnest yet at the same time twinkling with a mischievous light, "Okay, we don't really have to fly to Hawaii on the back of a dragon, but a fly would be great, no?"

"And you will do it too? You will take Stardust?" Aki was still eyeing her newly-minted husband a little suspiciously.

"Of course."

Aki blinked a few times, before throwing up her hands and saying, "Oh alright, why not? Let's go for a ride."

When they got changed and exited the club house, the dragons were already waiting for them out on the green. Stardust was simply majestic, glittering silvery white under a star lit night sky, while Black Rose looked mysterious and enticing in his florid glory. When they first took off, Aki could not help but shiver a little in the chilled night wind, but soon the cold was all forgotten as she revelled in the sights.

The night sky was unimaginably dark and deep, and the stars were like a field of silver flowers, or pearls spilt across black velvet. Beneath her the city of Neo Domino was a sea of rainbow lights. It looked especially beautiful as she remembered how many times the city came close to utter annihilation, and how her own blood and those of her dearest friends poured into this city.

As they circled beneath the stars, a song suddenly jumped into the mind. She had to giggle uncharacteristically once more—that thought was just too cliché, and too silly. But even as she was trying not to laugh at herself out loud, a deep, rich tenor voice suddenly sang out from behind her.

"I can show you the world, shinning shimmering splendid. Tell me princess, now when did you last let your heart decide?..."

Oh Kami.

Aki whirled around so fast she could hear her neck snap, and saw a mop of orange hair bobbing up; the owner of the said hair was standing atop a large bird-like dragon, holding a boom box on his shoulder, and looking entirely too smug.

"Crow!"

**The End.**


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